Alice's Adventures in Fabletown
by curiouzen
Summary: Bigby Wolf sighed before taking a well needed drag on his Huff n' Puff. "What if I told you some fairy tales are real." The young woman scoffed. "I stopped believing in fairy tales long ago, Mr. Wolf." He smirked, "You've changed since the last time I've seen you, Alice." Join Alice and Bigby as they struggle to recover memories of Wonderland and unravel the mysteries of Fabletown.
1. Prologue

**Hey guys! The prologue here is set way before the events in The Wolf Among Us. It takes place in the Homelands where the Fables originally came from, before Bigby meets Snow, before he even meets Red Riding Hood. It tells the story of how Bigby and Alice first met. Chapter 1 will take place in New York City in the 90's (shortly after the events of the game). **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tim Burton's vision of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland or the characters found within. I also do not own The Wolf Among Us or its citizens (Snow White does :p). I'm not making any money of this fic, it is merely for fun!**

Prologue: The Girl in Blue and The Big Bad Wolf

Escaping from her daily history lesson, Alice darted out the back of her parent's estate, clutching poor Dinah to her chest. She stopped well before the edge of the property line, bordered with trees that belonged to an ominous looking wood that Alice was forbidden to enter, and collapsed gracelessly into a heap of wild daisies. Alice sighed in contentment and relief as she languidly turned her head to pluck a daisy from the soft earth she settled in.  
_How could anyone possibly enjoy a book without pictures or conversations (1)? _She wondered.  
Her older sister had been droning on about crowns and Kings and Alice could hardly pay any attention to the tiny text in her lesson book. She reached around Dinah, who had begun to bat at a small cabbage butterfly, to pluck more daisies. She started humming a small melody as she meticulously crafted a flower crown. "You know Dinah? I'm certain I'd enjoy history more if crowns were made out of daisies rather than weight of the Kingdom." Alice wasn't sure what that meant, exactly, but she distinctly remembered her sister telling her that the wearing the crown was a heavy burden to bear.  
_And such a weight it must be!_ _Surly monarchs must get tired of carrying around such heaviness on their heads. Do they get cricks in their necks, I wonder.__  
_"Hmm" Alice hummed thoughtfully to herself. When she finished, Alice paused to admire her work before crowning an unsuspecting Dinah. She giggled when Dinah immediately started to bat at the intrusive flower crown on her head.  
Alice sighed once more and flopped back down on her back with her arms folded behind her golden mane. Dinah clumsily clamored on top of her torso and curled into a ball. As she gazed up at the clouds her thoughts drifted listlessly around her skull about crowns and kingdoms and what she would do with a land all her own. She decided then and there she would much rather wear a crown of daisies than one crafted out of responsibilities. She began humming once more and let her thoughts lazily shift back up to the fluffy clouds overhead. "Oh look, Dinah! That one looks like a giant caterpillar!" She exclaimed, pointing upwards. "And that one looks just like a smiling cat!" _Hmmm, I didn't even know cats could smile, _Alice thought.

The dear girl was so absorbed in her cloud gazing that she almost failed to notice a white rabbit in a waistcoat dash right past her. Now there was nothing very extraordinary about a rabbit in a waist coat, thought Alice (2). It was only when she heard a pinched voice exclaim "Oh dear, oh my, I'm terribly late!" that she took notice. Alice quickly sat up, dumping Dinah unceremoniously on the ground, and gaped in a most un-lady-like way at the rabbit scampering away. Then that very same rabbit stopped and turned toward her. He pulled a pocket watch out of his waist coat, tapped it a few times at her admonishingly, and winked before disappearing into the trees. Alice did not waste a moment's hesitation before she leapt to her feet and began to chase after the mysterious rabbit.

A black Wolf padded along the edge of his territory in regal silence. As per usual, nothing about his wood seemed particularly out of the ordinary. The wind was favorable, the sun was bright and warm, and not an intruder to be seen. Everything is as it should be. As the wind shifted he paused, lifting his head slowly. The Wolf sniffed the air and was pleasantly surprised to smell something…different. He tilted his head upwind to get a better whiff of the foreign scent that was wafting through the breeze. The Wolf lifted an eyebrow (if wolves could do such a thing). He was troubled at the prospect of an intruder in his domain but the nature of the strange smell intrigued him more than anything. He took a decided step forward and headed in the direction of that enticing new odor. It wasn't every day that a foolish intruder took it upon themselves to tread the territory of the Big Bad Wolf.

His paw steps were silent and purposeful as he neared the source of the smell. The closer he got the more he recognized it. The smell was innocence. His curiosity growing, he rounded a dense thicket to see a small girl with honey golden tresses, wearing a blue dress, chase wildly after a white rabbit in a waist coat. The Wolf snorted inelegantly. He recognized the rabbit. It was the same rabbit (and only rabbit mind you) to elude him for years. The girl, however, was new. He sniffed once again and found her scent to be completely intoxicating. She smelled of newness and springtime. The sight of her running made his blood pump and his heart race. The chase was on.

The Wolf followed the girl as close as he could without being detected. It wouldn't do to give himself away right off. "Wait!" The girl panted after the rabbit. He smirked, _curious little thing isn't she_? Didn't her mother and father teach her not to wander in these wood? Didn't she know this land belonged to the Big Bad Wolf? He licked his jaws out of anticipation and continued his pursuit.

The white rabbit finally came to a stop in a small clearing among the trees. Alice stumbled to a halt, panting and completely exhausted from her chase. "Wait! Please Mr. Rabbit!" She begged. The white rabbit stopped and faced the girl. She leaned down towards him slowly as she puffed. "What, may I ask-" but before she could finish catching her breath and finishing her thought the rabbit's eyes shifted behind the girl and widened before he bolted in the opposite direction. Alice only then noticed the dark shadow that surrounded her. She paused in fright for a fraction of a moment and her breath caught in her chest. It felt like forever, however, for you see sometimes forever is merely a second in time. She slowly rose to her full height before turning around.

Alice stifled a gasp at what she found, for before her was an enormous black wolf. He stood taller than any horse her parents owned and had piercing golden orbs for eyes. She was in awe. _My, what a beautiful creature,_she admired. _I should hope he doesn't plan to eat me._He said nothing, which struck Alice as odd. Just a moment ago, a white rabbit was speaking the Queen's English, so why shouldn't this wolf? She tentatively took a step forward. "Hello" she breathed. She didn't want to scare him off (a laughable thought).

After succeeding to capture his prey, the Wolf stood before the girl. When she turned and faced him she did not appear afraid. In fact, she seemed quite….curious. Wolves, being curious creatures themselves, he found her lack of fear intriguing, for there was no creature that did not look upon him in fear. He smirked to himself at her bravery, or was it ignorance? Only when she took a step toward him did the Wolf react to the girl. He lowered his head so that he was eye level with her and bared his sharp fangs with a low, intimidating snarl. Instead of cowering, the girl defiantly placed her hands on her hips and bit the tip of his nose! With an embarrassing yelp the wolf retracted. He wiggled his nose in an attempt to shake off the sting. He was in shock. He peered down at the girl, wide eyed. She glared up back at him, hands still on hips. "Now is that anyway to say hello?" She chided.

_How rude!_ Alice huffed. Her patience had run thin. First it was rabbits in waistcoats running amok and now a wolf with no manners! Really, now! She had merely tried to introduce herself and strike up conversation and he was being a completely rude brute about it. Had no one taught him how to give a proper greeting? If there was one thing that Alices could not tolerate, it was rudeness. And this wolf had been particularly rude.

The Wolf, still aghast at the gesture stood in silence. He smiled inwardly at the girl's brazenness. She was not an ordinary little girl, that was certain. She was brave and inquisitive.  
_Much like a young pup should be_, he noted admiringly_.__  
_Perhaps this little pup was worth more alive than a meal. He opened his mouth to say something, _anything_. But before he could utter a single word an eerie howl rang out throughout the trees. His eyes narrowed. _Damn coyotes_, he thought. _Have they not learned what happens to beasts who hunt in _**_my _**_territory?_ He looked down at the little girl, who began to fidget nervously, and for the first time he smelled her fear.

As the hollow sound found its way to Alice, she shivered. She looked around her and realized how terribly late and cold it had gotten. _Dinah must be so worried!_ She thought. _How ever am I to find my way home? _Her gaze rose back at her companion who looked as if he was deciding what to do with her. He seemed….concerned, almost. He leaned down and gently nudged her shoulder with the tip of his nose, turning the girl in the opposite direction. Alice turned her head in confusion and he nodded in the direction he pointed her in. Alice took it as a gesture in directing her back home and started on her way but not before uttering a quick thank you to her new friend.

The Wolf sighed. He knew he needed to get rid of those pesky coyotes and until then the girl was not safe out here. He waited until she was out of sight before turning his attention toward the sound of the invaders.

Alice raced as fast as she could through the darkening forest. She tried very hard to keep her wits about her not to panic. _Oh I knew I shouldn't have gone after that pesky rabbit!_ Alice scolded herself. She began to rub tears from her eyes. _Now I might never get out of these woods and back home. Who will feed poor Dinah?_ Alice had always prided herself on giving very good advice (but she very seldom followed it). Perhaps that's why she always ended up in the kind of trouble that she did. As she crashed through brush and leapt over fallen branches she could hear the rustle of the trees around her and the hungry grunts and snarls of hungry coyotes. Then to her horror she realized, she was being hunted.

The Wolf crashed through the trees in hot pursuit of his intruders. He could smell them now and to his dismay he also picked up traces of the small girl. He heard the terrified cry of the girl and stopped. He peeked over a fallen tree to she was surrounded by a pack of ravenous coyotes. _How dare they hunt in my territory!_ He growled. Not only were they hunting on his land, they were hunting _his _prey. Granted, she wasn't really his prey. After their first encounter he had no intention of eating or harming the dear girl. She fascinated him. He watched as she was cornered against a large oak. She gasped in fright. _Enough!_ He thought, and leaped over the log in one powerful and swift movement to come crashing down loudly behind the pack. The coyotes whipped around to see the Black Wolf looming over them, teeth bared.

The pack tried to escape his ire in vain. One by one, the Wolf easily crushed the mangy intruders in his massive jaws as they desperately tried to flee from their furious God. Only a few lucky ones managed to retreat from the scene with tails tucked. The Wolf shot a glance at the little girl who stared, jaw slackened, at the scene, a gesture very unbecoming on Alice. He had the decency to turn away from her to lick to the blood off his jaws before turning his attention back on the pup.

Alice slowly peeled herself away from the tree she pinned her body to and on wobbly legs approached the Wolf. He did not flinch or move to hurt her. He simply allowed her presence. She could feel the hum of tension between them as her hand rose shakily. She gently ran her fingers along his mane. It was surprisingly soft. Alice searched for a reaction but he gave none. He simply stood still and allowed the contact. She smiled wanly in thanks as they started their trek away from the massacre and towards her home.

He was grateful that she was not repulsed or turned away from him out of fear after what she had seen. She seemed, in fact, to be thankful for his aid. He stifled a rumble in his throat as her small, warm hands found their way in the thick fur on the nape of his neck. In tune, they began their way forward and towards her den. She was quiet most of the way. He genuinely enjoyed the girl's company and found her presence to be calming. He had never enjoyed the company of another before and it was very different but if he had to admit it (which he likely would not) he liked it. She had began speaking softly, mostly to herself, but he listened intently to what she had to say. He learned that the girl's name was Alice, and that little Alice was very clever for someone her age. "If I had a world of my own," she continued, "everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see? (3)" The wolf paused and looked at her. He hadn't a clue how to follow her logic but he simply nodded to appease her. As they continued walking he chuckled inwardly to himself, _what an odd girl_. Her innocence and curiosity radiated off her like a beacon and he could not get enough of her scent. When they came to the very edge of his territory he could tell they were close for she seemed to brighten up significantly.

"Oh there it is!" She exclaimed, relieved to be home. She could see her parent's estate from the tree line. She started to dash off, and in her excitement to see Dinah she had completely forgotten to thank her new friend. She skidded to a stop and turned back. He was still hidden in the tree line, his illuminated eyes peering out at her. between the foliage. She slowly made her way back to him. As he looked down at her with eyebrow raised she smiled back at him sheepishly. _Cats can smile and wolves can quirk their eyebrows, how curious, _she thought.

He leaned down to eye level (out of respect of course) to hear what she had to say. Instead of speaking, Alice gently cupped her hands beneath his chin and drew himself to her. His eyes widened in disbelief as she gently placed a soft kiss on his nose where she had bitten him earlier. "Thank you," she said quietly. Before he could begin to think of a reply she had sprinted off towards her home. The Wolf watched her go, eyes still wide, beaming at her retreating figure. _Alice, _he mused, _what a peculiar and beautiful little wolfing._

(1) Lewis Carroll, _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass_

(2) Lewis Carroll, _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass_

(3) Lewis Carroll, _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass_

_**So there you have it! I really hope that you enjoyed it. Please review, fav, and follow! I plan on posting the first chapter in the next few days or so. **_


	2. New York

**Summary: **This chapter takes place in New York shortly after the events in TWAU. Alice has grown without her memories of Wonderland and has been living life as a Mundy.

Bigby and Alice meet in this chapter. Will they be quite as familiar as they had been back when she was a child? Uh…additional warning: I'm _really _terrible at coming up with

chapter titles, so apologies for unoriginality and all around cheesiness.

**Disclaimer: **Again, I do not own any of the characters found within. The plot is merely mine.

Chapter 1: New York

The queasy sky above churned in anguish, and in its discomfort coughed pitifully, spattering rain across New York City. Alice redoubled her jacket over her shoulders as she made her way east back home to her apartment, weaving through crowds of people with swift urgency. The wide heel of her boots clopped loudly against the pavement below as her mind shifted indeterminably between flighty reflections on her day. The traffic and nightlife of the city did not dampen with the rain, but were a mere hum in Alice's ears. She bumped into the firm chest of a stranger. "Hey watch it lady!" She stumbled back muttering an apology before jogging off and escaping back into her head.

A film of listlessness hung about Alice, separating the space and reality she occupied but never felt she could take part in. Like the waif filament of dust that coats long forgotten keepsakes and old furniture, the membrane that had haunted Alice dulled her to the world and vice versa. It was suffocating to say the least.

Her body operated on autopilot as she continued, while Alice herself retreated into the warm embrace of the swell of the orchestra she had seen a few weeks past at the Lincoln Center. Tchaikovsky's _None But the Lonely Hearts_ (how charmingly appropriate) was enveloping. She was seated comfortably several rows back from the stage. Close enough to be an active participant in the listening but far enough back to avoid the dead zone right under the stage. Perfect shelter from the cold. She paused momentarily at an intersection before dashing across, deftly avoiding yellow cabs and taking shelter beneath an awning.

The lights at night bent and stretched across pavement and steel in the rain. Her head felt foggy and her body compressed as she returned to the dismal present. Her form broke the streams of light in the fog as her pace steadied. Light existed as a two-dimensional essence in a three-dimensional plane. Alice felt as if she could relate. It was a queer sensation to feel as though one's body was refracting through droplets of water. _Like growing and shrinking…never being the right proper size. Or right proper Alice for that matter. _She folded her arms protectively across her chest and shook from the cold. And her mind wandered aimlessly to a more practical line of thinking. _Maybe I would have been better off just sleeping in my office for the night. It isn't as if I'm not going back in a few hours when the sun rises anyway. _She pushed the thought away quickly in exchange for more pleasant images of herself curled up on her sofa with a book and her cat, Dinah. She was almost home now and couldn't wait to be rid of her damp clothing in exchange for a nice hot bath and a cup of tea. Alice smiled softly. Funny how something as simple as the notion of tea was enough to make her feel human again. She wiped her dripping nose on the shoulder of her raincoat before gathering herself for another run in the elements.

Alice quickly took stock of her surroundings before her hightailing it back through the rain, (it was dangerous to be out this late at night). The side street was empty save for a few parked cars and flickering lights overhead. A cluster of stray soggy leaves flipped and tumbled down the sidewalk. Fall was definitely around the corner. Alice found herself pondering the tendencies of fallen leaves (of all the ridiculous things—), and wondered what it would feel like to be at the mercy of the wind like that. Helpless? No she already knew what that felt like and she was definitely not a leaf. Perhaps free then. Yes, definitely free.

Her lazy surveillance followed the leaves as they made their way downwind. They led her to a pair of black men's shoes. One crossed casually over the other. She scanned her eyes upward to see who belonged to the shoes. The stranger leaned nonchalantly against the side of the building as if the rain didn't bother him in the slightest. His upper half was shadowed but she could see he was sporting a trench coat and fitted black pants. A cord of smoke rose from a cigarette he held in his left hand. What Alice was drawn to the most, however, was a peculiar set of gleaming yellow eyes looking outward into the gloom. At her. She felt her pulse start to race and felt her muscles tense in anticipation. Something tugged impatiently in the back of her mind as she fixed her attention on his gaze. _Those eyes! _They were so terrifyingly familiar that the feelings they stirred in her were almost intimate. It felt violating. She had seen a similar pair of luminous orbs in her nightmares, nothing like them existed out of the confines of her mad nighttime wanderings. But what were they doing here? Was she dreaming now? Sometimes it was hard to tell. Alice reached up and pinched her arm to test her state of wakefulness. "Ow!" she hissed. Most certainly awake and _not_ dreaming. How odd. The man made no move to approach her or further acknowledge her presence. Alice quickly regained composure and steadied her heart rate and breathing. She turned to head in the opposite direction to avoid a potentially dangerous confrontation for both parties. It pained her greatly to do so, however. She had wanted to see his face, maybe then she would receive the clarification she sought. Alice knew better than to sate her curiosity on impulse, though. Most of the time at least. She sighed in resignation as she would just have to take a different route home. Unbeknownst to Alice, however, he was not the only one that was watching her.

Sheriff Bigby Wolf took a well needed drag on his Huff n' Puff. It had been a long night and he knew it was far from over. He had been tracking the Tweedles all over the goddamned city it seemed like. Sno—Deputy Mayor White had instructed him to bring in those ugly bastards for questioning about the finer details surrounding Crooked Man case. Like who the fuck were all of their "clients", for example. Bigby scoffed as he recalled the conversation.  
"Mr. Wolf it seems that there are still guilty Fables at large who have yet to pay for their involvement in the case of the Crooked Man." Snow White folded her arms across her chest as Bigby lit a cigarette in response. She waited for him to answer her, as he exhaled. "I've been busy with more urgent cases, Miss White," he stated flatly. Snow's eyes narrowed. "Well I'm making it an _urgent _matter now. Bringing in those Fables responsible for the Crooked Man's bidding is top priority, Sheriff. But I suppose if it's too much for you to handle I can always find someone else to do the job." His amber eyes rose at the challenge to meet hers. They were cold and full of unforgiving censoriousness.  
"I'll get it done."  
"Good. See that you do."  
With that Miss White existed the cramped office of Bigby Wolf.  
As he exhaled he sighed. When had things changed between them? Bigby didn't like to dwell on the subject but it was getting harder to avoid as time passed and the distance between him and Snow grew. Ever since she took Crane's place, Snow had completely shut him out. He wanted nothing more than to return to the dynamics they shared before all this happened. Nerissa was right, they were quite the team. Why did it have to change?

Bigby was brought out of his musings when felt the gaze of the woman he had followed out of downtown upon him. He wasn't tailing her, exactly. He was tracking the Tweedles, who had seemed to be tracking her, therefore following the girl would lead him to his desired target. It wasn't a coincidence to Bigby that wherever he had smelled the Tweedles he seemed to find this girl. But why? She didn't appear particularly extraordinary to him or give any indication that she would have any involvement with those two rats. Who was she? Was she a Fable? And more importantly, what did the Tweedles want with her?

Bigby inhaled deeply to take in her scent. To his complete astonishment he recognized it. "Hmmm now that's interesting." What disturbed Bigby more than the familiarity of the scent, however, was the strong emotional response it elicited in him. She smelled like tree tops, weak tea, fresh flowers juxtaposed to fall leaves. She smelled like the Homelands. He put out his cigarette and took another whiff just to be sure. As he breathed her the second time he felt his stomach flip. There was no denying it. He had definitely smelled this girl before. Been close to her. But he could still not be certain who she was or how he had known her. Her hair was plastered to her head from the wetness and she stood in shadow making it nearly impossible to discern any noticeable or distinguishing features. This girl was becoming more and more interesting by the minute to Bigby. _If I get the Tweedles and get them to talk, maybe I'll figure out who this woman is_. With that thought in mind, the Sheriff refocused his attentions back to his original goal. Arrest the Tweedles.

Alice made it just another block before a flash of white caught her attention. The whizzing blur skidded to a stop before abruptly turning and disappearing into the dark. She paused with squinted eyes, straining to see into the void. She could have sworn she had just witnessed a white rabbit dart down that alley. But that can't be right. Rabbits don't just hop around the streets of New York, especially not white ones. _Get a hold of yourself Alice!_ She scolded. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and shook of the exhaustion. _These late nights must be getting to you, dear, _she thought.  
With more determination than ever to get home and put this day behind her, Alice barreled onward. She hardly made it a few steps before the same white blurb bolted right in front of her. This time she could make out a set of long ears and cottontail. So it was a white rabbit! Alice felt her mouth dry as she watched it disappear down the alleyway on her right. Curious, she turned to face the opening of the alley to get a better look, licking her lips out of anxiety. _Alice, no. You need to march yourself home right now and get some rest instead of chasing hallucinations down dirty alleys. _Yes, yes, that's what she _should_ do but what she_ wanted_ to do was exactly the opposite. _Come, come now Alice. There's nothing to be afraid of. Are you not __**desperately **__curious as to see where that white rabbit has gone to? _A voice hesitated. _No? Such a pity. _Yes, it was a pity that Alice would not be making it home in time to feed Dinah that night. As Alice took a step forward, plunging into shade, she couldn't help but feeling a sense of…déjà vu. How _curious._

As he watched the woman turn and start away, Bigby glanced behind her to see one of the Tweedles looming. Neither brother was aware of his presence, however, that he was sure. If they were, they wouldn't have continued to follow her down the street the way they did. Fucking idiots. He lifted himself off the wall he perched against and made his way after them.

Alice cautiously crept down the alley in search of the white rabbit. In turn the alleyway itself seemed to react to her very presence. The walls between the buildings started to expand and contract, almost as if they were breathing. And the passage gradually became narrower the further she went. Alice calmed herself by passing it off on her very active (mad) imagination.

She made it to the halfway point between the two openings keeping alert for any sign of movement, and still there was no sign of any white rabbit. _This is ridiculous! Why am I wandering down dark holes looking for a goddamned rabbit in New York City in the rain?! I must be daft!_ Alice halted and felt the rain beat down on her mockingly. Before giving up on her mad venture she took one last glance along the narrow passageway for any trace of something strange. Her eyes grazed over ordinary trash cans, roaches, puddles, and a perfectly boring fire escape. No white rabbit. She signed and rubbed the ache building in her temples. "Right then." It was definitely time to go home.

The sound of muffled footsteps reached Alice and she turned her attention back down the lane. To her horror a hefty figure posed himself at the end of the path. His body took up the entire space of the exit. She tried to swallow but couldn't as her throat had gone completely dry. The figure was not the same man she had seen moments earlier and unlike that man, this figure was foreboding and held the promises of danger. Alice dropped her head in submission and wrapped her arms protectively around her abdomen before turning to head back out of the alley. Just keep calm and head home.

Alice stopped dead in her tracks and her blood run cold. There was the same figure at the opposite side of the alley waiting for her. She was completely trapped.


End file.
